Students in WMST 205: Foundations in Women’s Studies will hold a bake sale Friday, April 13, to raise $450 to fund fistula surgery for a woman in Ethiopia.

The sale will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. just outside Anderson Student Center (rain site is just inside ASC). All money raised will be sent to the Fistula Foundation.

Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury. It happens because many girls and women in poor countries, particularly in rural areas, give birth without medical assistance.

The World Health Organization estimates that there may be as many as 50,000 to 100,000 cases of fistula each year; yet, the global treatment capacity is less than 20,000 cases a year. In Ethiopia, there are an estimated 100,000 women suffering with untreated fistula and another 9,000 women who develop fistula each year.

The St. Thomas community is invited to stop by the bake sale, pick up a few treats, and learn more about what an individual can do to make a difference concerning obstetric fistula.